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Music hall songs showed an understanding of the daily lives of the audiences. By adding humour to the songs they enabled people to laugh at their misfortunes. For many living during the 19th Century life was harsh, young children were sent out to work in appalling conditions from as young as seven and women and the elderly worked to supplement the family income. In this song the father of the family, who would have been expected to be the main breadwinner, will not work as he is too lazy. He gets his comeuppance at the end of the song when he is removed by the bailiffs when he doesn't leave his chair.